Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons - Review

Posted: 08/07/13

At first glance, Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons carries the tone of a lighthearted fairytale. Despite a Bambi-esque prelude with a dying mother starting things on something of a harsh note, the Brothers’ actual quest itself starts with more of a carefree feeling, even as the fear of ending up as orphans lingers in the air.

The adventure ends up being much more surprising than it initially appears both stylistically and narratively, even with the dialog presented as non-sensible patter. And make no mistake it is a fairytale, not so much of the Disney ilk, but closer to the savageness of another set of brothers who go by the name of Grimm. The saccharine turns sinister as chapters are completed, with the baying sheep and hustle and bustle of village life left behind for adventures among ancient clockworks as trolls patrol, fending off wolves in the night, and other dangers that are equally wonderful and strange to behold.

There’s a painterly look to the land, draped in the muted colors of an autumn harvest. It all gels well with the overhead view that often feels somewhat removed, offering up more of a landscape look. It’s worth breathing in, and the game knows it, with benches scattered about, offering respite and a directed camera pan, showing you where you’ve been -- and where you’ll go.

Brothers’ central conceit is how you control the siblings. You guide them independently with the two thumbsticks, with each having a single context sensitive action button. Coordination and a reasonably keen eye will let you overcome obstacles. Beyond the gates and ledges, teamwork allows the brothers, for example, to escape the maw of a growling dog by taking turns distracting it. Situations often require a bit of reflex, but with few exceptions, the puzzles aren’t particularly challenging and the action feels fairly lukewarm. But the split focus of controlling the brothers in tandem and in synch is something akin to patting your head and rubbing your tummy. It’s often harder than it sounds, with even simply running about serving as a source of slapstick. It’s engaging enough that success still yields genuine satisfaction, with the action supplying a good flow.

Will the ambidextrous yawn? Perhaps, though most players will find the scheme pleasantly refreshing and inventive, making even the most obvious tasks a joy and not a chore. The gentleness of the gameplay and quirkiness of the controls make almost every action interesting, with the game doing a fabulous job at one point of tying the controls to the story for a true eureka moment.

A Tale of Two Sons rubs elbows with Ico and Journey, though the setting and style are a bit more traditional. At the offset its strengths are mild and subtle; by the end, it’s evocative and thoughtful. The melancholy can swell at times to border at overbearing, and one or two real head scratchers would have been nice, but Brothers is a yarn that hopefully won’t be forgotten after fussy first looks. If you’re at all interested or intrigued, take a closer look.

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